I'm using a Canon Elura, which I believe uses the same technique to record in 16:9 as the other Canon cameras (please correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, I'm not sure what the best way to shoot and capture is for 16:9...

If I shoot with 16:9 mode ON, should I capture to Final Cut Pro with a resolution of 720x480, 720x405, 720x360? I'm unsure as to which one would yield the best results for editing.

Should I just shoot in regular 4:3 format and add the 16:9 Letterbox effect later in Final Cut?

I've read the various articles on the web regarding this issue.. about how shooting in the 16:9 mode can actually give you better vertical resolution, etc etc..

Sorry for the unorganized question/post.. but there are just a million options going through my head right now and I can't seem to sort things out. Thanks for any help.

-Dave

It really depends on what your final output is.

If you final output will be to film or anamorphic DVD (widescreen) then shoot in widescreen mode and edit in widescreen, keeping the footage in 720x480 for the duration of the project.

If your final out put is VHS or letterboxed DVD then you're better off shooting in standard 4:3 and just cropping the footage when your done editing. That way you'll have more latitude in the framing of your shots.

Both the GL1 and the XL1 provide excellent quality while in the widescreen mode. If you have the extra dough you can get the anamorphic adapter for the GL1.

Ashley

Ashley,
Thanks for your reply. I have been thinking along those same lines. This particular project will most likely end up on VHS, CD-ROM and the web. I will probably shoot in 4:3 (and letterbox it in post)... this seems like the most versatile way to do it. At some point I would really love to get a GL1 and an anamorphic adapter... something to save up for ;)

-Dave

When you shoot in the digital 16x9 mode on most DV cameras the camera uses the full 720x480 to store images.

So...the DV codec doesn't compress un-needed image data. if you use the digital mode.

In practice this means that you get sharper images. Even when I checked my XL-1 footage on a large HDTV I got very reasonable results. On Standard Definition (i.e. regular) TV you get excellent results.

Check here for more info:

http://members.macconnect.com/users/b/ben/widescreen/16x9.html